4th of July Star-Shaped Berry Hand Pies

Pie is the quintessential summertime dessert. With 4th of July right around the corner, why not make your pie patriotic? These berry pie stars are made with flaky pie crust and a fresh summertime berry filling.

If you don’t have time to make your own pie crust, a store-bought variety would be an acceptable substitute. (Though you might be surprised how easy it is to make a crust from scratch.) Either way, you’ll find the result is a perfect July 4 dessert. Bonus, they are kid friendly and adults will love them, too! Watch the video below to see a step-by-step overview of how to make these berry hand pies yourself.

By Amanda Frederickson
Published on June 29, 2016

Ingredients

Berry Hand Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
pinch salt
2 sticks cold, unsalted butter (16 tablespoons)
6 tablespoons ice cold water

Berry Hand Pie Filling

1 1/4 cups assorted berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 egg, mixed with 1 teapoon water
1 1/2 teaspoons turbinado sugar

Directions

In the bowl of a food processor pulse to combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add butter and pulse for about 10 seconds or until the butter is just incorporated and is the size of peas. Add water and pulse for another 20 seconds or until the pie dough just pulls together. Diving dough into two disks, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Make the filling by combining the berries, lemon zest, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook the berry mixture for about 3 to 5 minutes or until the fruit begins to breakdown. Remove from heat and fold in cornstarch. Set aside to cool completely.
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
On a well-floured work surface roll the pie dough disks into 2 rounds about 12” in diameter and 1/8” thick. Using a 3” to 4” star shaped cookie cutter, cut out 12 stars total and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cooled pie filling to the center of one star, then gently place another star on top. Using a fork, crimp the edges to seal in the filling. Using the tip of a knife, cut a ½” long slit in the top of the stars. Repeat with remaining stars.
Brush each of the stars with egg wash then bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Let stars cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.